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Love is a Weapon, Love is a Treasure
Love is a Weapon, Love is a Treasure This Is The First Arc in The SunClan Chronicles P.s I would love it if you left a comment down below!!!!! "When you love someone, it feels as though you can fly." "How would you know?" "Because my love for you is a treasure." Rabbitbreeze has always been a promising warrior for her Clan, ever since she was a kit, but she realises something.... Is life, just about being a warrior? ''She begins to find out what she could do instead of being a simply warrior. But is one of those things, ''love? What do you think about this story so far? Amazing! Great Okay Pretty Bad Terrible SunClan Warrior Code :1: Never defend another Clan other than your own. Loyalty must always remain with your Clan. 2: Prey must never be eaten on hunts. It must always be returned to the prey pile. 3: Kits, Queens and Elders eat first. 4: A kit cannot be apprenticed until they reach the age of six moons. 5: Warriors do not have to kill to win a fight. 6: The leader must always consult with their deputy and medicine cat before making a serious decision. 7: After a deputy is killed, a new deputy must be named before moonhigh. 8: After a leader loses their ninth life the deputy either become leader or resigns and chooses a leader. 9: The life of a kittypet, loner or rogue must be rejected, not the cats themselves, just the roles. 10: Going against your own Clan will either result in execution or exile. 11: When a blood moon occurs, all medicine cats must gather and discuss plans that need sharing. 12: If a leader challenges another leader, those leaders must meet and fight or negotiate. 13: When a cat dies, there must be a goodbye gathering and those close to the dead cat can stay with the body until dawn. Allegiances (Only main Clan is listed here. Look on this page, The SunClan Chronicles, for the complete Allegiances that will be written soon) Leader: Newtstar - ginger tabby tom with amber eyes Deputy: Deereye - silvery coloured she-cat with an abnormally long tail, mother to Newtstar's kits Medicine Cat: Dreamflower - cream she-cat with green eyes and white stripes Apprentice: Quickpaw (black and white speckled tom with blue eyes) Warriors: Rabbitbreeze - pretty light brown tabby she-cat with a white underbelly Apprentice: Bubblepaw (dark grey tom with amber eyes) Sootfeather - musky brown tabby tom with lighter brown stripes, brother to Rabbitbreeze Apprentice: Acornpaw (brown she-cat) Willowfoot - pretty silver tabby she-cat with green eyes Birchcloud - annoying cream tom with burning amber eyes Daymist - Birchcloud's identical sister in looks (not personality, she's really nice) Torchlight - black tom with hints of fiery ginger, green eyes and white paws Swirlwind - white she-cat with two black paws and two brown paws Hayfoot - tortoiseshell tom with long fur Apprentice: Antpaw (brown and white flecked tom) Silverdoe - bright silver she-cat Rushwing - pretty dusty ginger she-cat with white paws, white chest and white ears Eagleheart - black and brown flecked tom Sleekpaw (dark brown tabby she-cat with dusty grey circles around her amber eyes) Smokeheart - dark grey tom with white and black paws Moonfrost - very light grey almost white tom with green eyes Fernleap - grey she-cat Bramblepelt - dark brown tom with black stripes and green eyes Morningpaw (black she-cat with silvery eyes) Robincall - red she-cat Brindlepelt - dappled ginger and white she-cat with leaf-green eyes Apprentices: Sleekpaw - dark brown tabby she-cat with dusty grey circles around her amber eyes Bubblepaw - dark grey tom with amber eyes Quickpaw - black and white speckled tom with blue eyes Antpaw - brown and white flecked tom Acornpaw - brown she-cat Morningpaw - black she-cat with silvery eyes Queens: Mistfrost - pretty light brown she-cat with hints of black riddled in her pelt, mother to Elmkit Deereye - silvery coloured she-cat with an abnormally long tail, mother to Cloudkit and Whitekit Elders: Witheredspot - black and white tom with strange silver coloured eyes Rustfur - dark ginger and white spotted she-cat with blue eyes Chapter One Love is a Weapon, '' ''Love is Treasure, It may not be obvious but it is still there, Can you realise it or are you blind to feelings? I shook my head to try and rid that voice from my head. It was my brother's, as he had spoken the words to me two sunrises ago. They would not go away. Would you prefer to be alone and simple, Or be unique from yourself and feel love? He had spoken those words to me as I had been hauled, half-dead, into the medicine cat den, and I had merely been able to hiss, "Shut up. I don't want to here it right now." I still felt weak, really weak. Apparently my recovery had been a lucky one, apparently I was meant to die. Being alive is a pleasure for me. It always will be until my dying breath. ''Before now, I had never appreciated death, I had scoffed it. Now that I'd felt it almost take me... I was glad I had lived. "You're awake. Surprise! Surprise! You are allowed to begin your warrior duties again." I was relieved to hear Quickpaw tell me that, I was sick of the medicine den. Probably because I had been there for three sunrises. I knew what he'd say next. "You can't hunt or fight though, you can only border patrol. You're still weak and recovering, but you're almost there." I knew he's say that. "Fine." I got to my shaky paws and hissed when I stood up straight. My left shoulder had apparently been dislocated and I realised that was why it hurt so much. "It's get better," Quickpaw reassured me when he saw my somewhat scared look. "After you get moving a bit, it'll be fine. It's just stiff, that's all." I nodded my thanks to him and limped out of the den, temporarily being blinded by the sun. I saw my brother sharing a mouse with Willowfoot. I hardly cared, I just didn't want to talk to him for a while. I needed some space. In the centre of camp was a crowd of cats gathered around Deereye as she sorted patrols. I limped as fast as I could over and joined the crowd. "Rabbitbreeze," Deereye purred welcomingly. All eyes turned to me and I glared at the deputy. "Hello Deereye," I replied. "Quickpaw said I was ready for border patrols, but that's it for now." Deereye nodded. "Let's see... you, Birchcloud and Tallflame can join my patrol on the BirdClan border while Bramblepelt leads a hunting patrol in the thickest part of the forest. Take anyone you want Bramblepelt." Deereye bounded over and began to lead her patrol out of camp; I was lagging behind. Tallflame dropped back and licked my cheek affectionately. As my father he always looked out for me. "Deereye! Slow down, Rabbitbreeze needs to take it easy," he called and Deereye immediately slowed, letting the two slower cats catch up with her while Birchcloud smirked at them. "Why did you invite this useless lump of fur and her grumpy father on your patrol?" He hissed at Deereye, who slashed his side with sheathed claws. "Unlike you, I care for others." The patrol continued on in silence. I narrowed my eyes and sighted through the thick trees the endless moorland scattered with streams and trees that signalled the border between SunClan and BirdClan. Like usual, the whole patrol tensed, ready to strike out if they needed to. ''Of course, I can't strike out at anything. As we closed in on the border I stopped. Deereye noticed something as well. Instead of the usual empty moorland in front of them, their was a patrol of smirking BirdClan warriors. I saw him then. Take your time, choose your path, But make sure your always careful. '' He looked at me and coldness overtook his gaze; he looked away as though he was disgusted. ''Please look at me. I need to see your eyes. The tom swung his head back around, but instead of looking at me, he looked at Deereye with a smirk on his face. Please look at me! I didn't mean to hurt you! I love you brother! My brother still didn't look at me. It hurt so much, being rejected by family, he had told me. Now I felt that hurt. My brother had rejected me. He had lost love, he had stopped loving, I didn't want to be like him, but it sounded easier. "Love is a cursed thing," my brother hissed, dark shadows casting across his back. "It made me ruin my life. I'm hurt, in pain, but I don't miss love." My brother is heartless. I hissed. "What do you want, Badgerpelt?" Deereye meowed curtly. Everyone could tell she wanted to leave, fast. Badgerpelt sniffed and I looked away; I couldn't meet his cold eyes. "I came here for one reason," he started. "That reason is to warn you. BirdClan is powerful and we are training like never before." I saw him flinch slightly at his own words but then he continued. "We deserve to be the sole rulers of this land, as BirdClan's ancestors were the ones to find all of this. If you do not respond to this the way you should, Foreststar will chat with you." Everyone on the BirdClan patrol sniggered, before whipping around and racing away. Badgerpelt stayed. Deereye didn't seem to notice as she ordered, "head back to camp. We must tell Newtstar." Tallflame stayed next to me and I whispered to him, "go. I'll catch up. I want to do something." He stared at me before darting after the patrol. I sighed and turned to my brother. "Does this mean war?" I asked him. "Yes. If Newtstar is not reasonable, that is." I fired up at once. "You dare go against the one who saved us from that dog!" I screeched at him. Badgerpelt looked taken aback. "I could've escaped!" He retorted slowly. "I didn't need him!" ----------------------- I was still fuming after I got back to camp and my shoulder felt on fire. I hadn't been able to stop myself from slashing Badgerpelt's face. He had run off, leaving a trail of blood behind. My other brother who had stayed with me in SunClan, had obviously noticed I was out of the medicine cat den. Well, I was probably going to have to go back in there. I ignored his calling and limped as fast as I could into the medicine cat den. "Blimey! Back already?" Quickpaw darted over to me, his eyes wide with curiosity. "What did you do?" I looked around and saw the stern face of Dreamflower, Quickpaw's mentor. I shuffled my paws awkwardly. "I slashed Badgerpelt's face. He looks a lot better now though. I guess it was worth it." Quickpaw stifled a laugh while Dreamflower scowled. "Do you want to be stuck in here for another three sunrises?" She hissed, gathering some cobwebs and herbs before coming over to me and scraping off the old plasters. Putting the new ones on, she hissed at me. "You are to be confined to camp until I see fit you can go outside." I scoffed. "You can't! What if Deereye needs me desperately for something?" Dreamflower nipped my good shoulder before saying in a fake sweet voice, "you'll just have to say you can't do it." Muttering swear and curse words at Dreamflower under my breath, I stalked out of the den and towards the warrior den where I could get a nap. "All cats who can catch their own prey, gather underneath hightree for a meeting!" I groaned before making my way over to the tree and settling down next to my friend, Silverdoe. "What's this about?" I hissed at her and Silverdoe flattened her ears. "I don't know," she murmured. "But Newtstar seems distressed though." Newtstar did seem distressed. As he had superb balance he was pacing along his tree branch while Deereye sat on the branch beneath him, her eyes narrowed. "As you know, we have three apprentices, one of which, is ready to become a warrior." Excited murmurs spread through the crowd as Newtstar cleared his throat. "Antpaw, step forward." Leaping down from his branch Newtstar padded over and touched his muzzle to the overjoyed apprentice's head, saying, "Antpaw, do you accept the charges of being a warrior of SunClan? Do you accept our warrior code?" Antpaw nodded. "I accept our warrior code and all charges of warrior status," he said happily and I lashed my tail. Me and Antpaw were fine friends. "Then by the will and power of our StarClan ancestors, I give you your warrior name which you will be known by for the eternity of your warriorhood. Antpaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Antshade! SunClan and StarClan honour you for your skills and your loyalty. We welcome you as a warrior." "Antshade! Antshade! Antshade!" Joyful cheers from the gathered cats echoed around the camp before everyone was silenced by Deereye's commanding yowl, "shut it! Newtstar has more for you to hear!" I shared a look with Silverdoe who looked scared. Newtstar still looked distressed. "Foreststar has challenged me to give up SunClan and our land to her!" Chapter Two Hearts of stone to hearts of ice and snow, Those who were once loving are now monsters of darkness. Crumbling friendships and families try to hold together on nothing but hope, When all they need is a little love. '' Sootfeather was still ranting on about love and I had snapped at him again, "stop!" He may have been my brother, but his ranting was very annoying. We were on our way to The Hollow, where the two Clans gathered every full moon. There had once been four Clans, SunClan, BirdClan, PineClan and BrightClan. I had been born just as BrightClan and PineClan decided to move to areas they preferred. "Rabbitbreeze, you're not getting my message!" I spat on the ground and limped faster to be next to Silverdoe, who pulled ahead and began chatting with a very angry Dreamflower, who was still annoyed at Newtstar wanting me in particular to go with him to go to The Hollow. "Listen!" I turned my head to face Sootfeather, but we continued walking, (or in my case, limping). "Yes. I'm listening." "Love is a treasure as well as a weapon." I cocked my head at him. This was his shortest rant ever. "Is that it?" I growled. "Because if it is, you wasted my time." I ignored Sootfeather calling for me to listen and I left him to pad on, alone. I wasn't rejecting him, I was simply dismissing him. My apprentice, Bubblepaw, padded along beside me, asking questions occasionally. "How did you get injured again?" I didn't want to tell the story, but I had to. He had to understand battle. "Badgerpelt had been battling me and tore my belly open, as well as wrenching my shoulder." I didn't give the whole thing, I didn't want to right now. Bubblepaw nudged me and I snarled, "what?" Bubblepaw didn't seem fazed. "Tell me more!" "No." "Why?" "Because my heart needs healing right now." I limped ahead of him and sighed. ''Just because Badgerpelt is broken doesn't mean I have to be! ''I reminded myself. But at the same time, I felt as though I wanted to be broken. One brother was cold hearted, another brother was irritating and my parents... Had died. Been killed by who knows what. Fury rose up through me and I wondered... ''What should I do with life? --------------------------- "Finally! Newtstar, what happened to you? Lost in your own forests?" Sneered a beautiful, slender shimmering black she-cat, her eyes full of anger and humour. Newtstar smiled at the she-cat, who was perched on top of tallrock and replied, "simply took our time is all." "Did you bring your whole Clan to defend you?" Jeered the BirdClan deputy, Frostedrose, her scent full of excitement. I curled my lips at her, but to my dismay, she snarled directly at me, "turn that snarl into a death grin. You'll be dead very soon if you do that to me!" To my utter disbelief, Birchcloud leaped in front of me and hissed, "leave her out of our argument!" What argument? Why does Birchcloud all of a sudden defend me? ''Frostedrose grinned and strode over to us, touching Birchcloud's flank lightly with her tail. "So, this is the one who you fell for after the silver doe snapped at you. You fell for this pretty one who threatened me!" Frostedrose cackled evilly before being beckoned over to her leader, who was in deep negotiations with Newtstar and Deereye. I looked at Birchcloud with a stern gaze. "She's lying, I know that," I growled at him. "Why would you love me when you hurt me everyday?" Birchcloud turned away and bounded over to join Silverdoe who was chatting darkly with a BirdClan warrior, Shadewhisker. The tom had a crusted gash cut deep into his flank and his breathing was heavy and raspy. I felt sorry for him, but then said to myself, ''don't feel anything. I don't need to feel anything, I can simply be an empty soul with no purpose. Yes, I like the sound of that. '' I had no idea how those dark thoughts came to me, but I went with it. Maybe being nothing would be good for me. I had to hope it was, otherwise I might as well give up life, then I thought... By being nothing, I basically ''am ''giving up life. ''It will help my cause in the end. ''I limped over and settled under Tallrock, letting my eyelids droop slightly. I soon feel asleep, only to be shocked where I awoke. Chapter Three I felt the world spin under my paws for a second, before my eyes opened and I collapsed. It was dark, gloomy even, where I had woken up. I wanted home. ''No, ''I said firmly to myself. ''No home. It is simply a place for me to use. It is not home. I have no home. '' "Welcome," said a wispy voice. "To the Place of No Stars." My blood went cold and I seemed to freeze in time, the words playing over and over again in my mind. ''This is the place of darkness, the Place of No Stars. '' "I thought this was where you could, feel at ''home," ''sneered the same wispy voice, as though is was drifting by on the wind. ''I cannot be attached to a world, there are many worlds, all of which I have to leave behind to find myself. '' "Wrong there! I'm afraid! There is only the living world, and the dead world." "But there is here and StarClan! They are two separate worlds!" I protested, standing up again and puffing out my chest. I felt pain shoot up my shoulder and I started to limp again. "StarClan and here are the same place, just with a border." I shivered as a cold mist passed through me, and I was horrified that a cat soon transformed from the mist. "Who are you?" I demanded. "I do not require a name," the cat said rapidly. "But if you want, call me Slipwave." ''Slipwave? Why is that name familiar to me? '' I hissed at the cat, "what do you want with me?" The cat replied scathingly, "I want to help you. Only a Dark Forest cat can do what StarClan needs you to do. I sacrificed myself to the retched place for you and for StarClan!" I didn't want to know what was in store for me now. "Let's see how you do with your destiny." --------------------------- I felt the ground give a small shake and I felt cold air rush into me. It was annoying, having to wait, in the cold no less, for Newtstar and Foreststar, to, well... Shut up. Shadewhisker had confronted me, and was bombarding me with questions I mostly didn't have answers to. Birchcloud had come over just when Shadewhisker asked me the dreaded question. ''"Why did you kill Brookfang and Redleap? You left Rabbitbreeze orphaned and raised by cats that didn't want her!" "Silverdoe?" Birchcloud asked me calmly. "Why is he of all cats annoying you with questions you promised to not answer?" Shadewhisker glared at Birchcloud while the cream tom smirked. "Don't say a word. Let me handle this." I felt my heart thumping hard in my chest as Birchcloud pushed me aside and stalked up to the BirdClan warrior. This won't go well, I feel it. The ground gave another tiny shake underneath my paws and I gasped. It may have been a tiny shake, but my head felt as though it was spinning wildly. It eventually stopped though, and I stood straighter, as if nothing happened. "How dare you ask questions she can't answer!" I looked at Birchcloud and felt myself leap at him to stop him from clawing Shadewhisker. "Stop!" I hissed in his ear, tumbling off his back. "I'll say it this time, just go and leave me and him alone!" Birchcloud got to his paws with an irate look on his face and limped over to join a BirdClan warrior and Willowfoot; they were having a quiet conversation. I licked my paw and ran it over my ear. "So, you want to know the answer and I feel you will stop at nothing to get it." Shadewhisker purred lightly, "you know me so well." I took a deep breath and started. ----------------------- I felt the wind wiz by my ears and I let out a yowl. Slipwave hadn't given me any warning about what would happen. Feeling slightly startled when the soft feeling of grass touched my paws I opened my eyes. I was instantly shocked. There were starry cats everywhere, cats from elder age to kit age. I even recognised a few! "Soldier! Nice to see you again!" I called to a muscular brown tabby tom, who seemed to be instructing a few nervous looking apprentices. Soldier, even though being a previous kittypet, had quite the reputation. The tom looked weary and snapped his head around to face me, a smile spreading across his face. "Come to join the Gateway have you?" He asked me friendlily, padding up and guiding me towards the apprentices. I was confused. "No, this is a place StarClan has and guides." Soldier looked perplexed. "No, this is the world from those who don't believe in StarClan but are good enough to go there. Those, however, who are on part with the Dark Forest but don't believe in StarClan, go down to Hades' Realm." I nodded slowly. "The Gateway, huh? I think I've heard of this place before, in an old nursery tale..." (flashback) - (This is before Rabbitbreeze's parents are murdered) "Tell me a story Brookfang!" I squealed, looking up at my mother who had a light in her eyes. "Sure," she purred. "Why don't I tell you a new one?" "Yes!" "Well, there was this StarClan cat, who you wouldn't believe, didn't believe in StarClan! His name was Telku, meaning 'Light over Dark' and he wanted to find a place where he could talk with cats like him. He told the ancient leaders his plan, and they cast him to the Place of No Stars, thinking he had gone mental." "Telku wanted to pursue his dream, so he conversed with Dark Forest cats, who considered him to still be a StarClan cat, treating him with menace. With that plan backfired badly on him, he decided to take action himself." "He began using his strength of mind to create not one, but two new realms for cats that didn't believe in StarClan. A place for good, another for evil. This plan succeeded on the end, but unfortunately, Telku was never able to experience the place for good, which he called the Gateway, as he was killed by a cat, Slipwave, who went to the Dark Forest." "It is rumoured these two places still exist, but I cannot be sure, as I believe in StarClan, unlike Telku." (end of flashback) Now I remembered, but I didn't know one thing... Who is Brookfang? I don't remember knowing a cat called Brookfang. All I remember was that while I was about that old in the flashback my parents died. '' "Magic exists," Soldier said suddenly, distracting me from my thoughts. "Magic created this place, magic will end this place. It is the Circle of Life." I shook my head. "Magic?" Soldier nodded. "Yes, magic. I can show you if you like?" I didn't know what to expect, but I went with it. "Sure." Soldier turned to the apprentices. "Narka, Greypaw, go fetch one of your superiors to supervise your training. Mage, come with us." The two bigger cats darted away while the smallest one padded forward. She had strange, glowing blue and purple stripes running down her back and unusual pink eyes. She even looked magical. "What are we going to show her?" Mage questioned lightly, lashing her tail. Soldier leaned and down and whispered something in her ear that I caught the end of. "...might be confusing." I felt my pelt rise a bit but I smoothed it down. I didn't want to make a bad impression. Mage hissed at me, "follow and don't wander." Soldier and I shared a glance before I bounded after Mage, leaving the tabby to stare after me. "Why are you called Mage?" I asked her. Mage didn't answer but sped up. I realised we were going to a den. It looked a bit like a mini temple! "You go in first, I will follow." I shot an uneasy glance at her but I obeyed, descending down into the darkness of the mini temple. Finally reaching the bottom, I let out a gasp. There was a rock in the middle of a shining body of water with a strange rune on top of it. Mage slipped down after me and she leaped in front of me. "You have to swim," she told me. "I am not allowed to though. This is something you must do alone. I will wait on this shoreline." "I hate water," I muttered, starting to swim across, giving little shivers of fear. What if I drowned? ''I won't drown, this is a land for the dead. '' I leaped up onto the rock, using superb balance, and grasped the rock in my jaws. "Swim back!" Mage called. I leaped down into the water, but I didn't actually touch the water. I was flying! Well, floating. "Come on!" Mage snarled impatiently and I bounded across on top of the water, leaping gracefully onto the shoreline. Mage's strange purple and blue stripes glowed and her unusual pink eyes shone as they looked at the rune. "You have seen this place, trust me, you will need it in future." I felt a whirling sensation and I opened my eyes, finding myself in the middle of a battle. Chapter Four I got to my paws and hurtled over to the nearest BirdClan warrior, ignoring my shoulder's burning pain. "Come to die, have you?" The warrior sneered, bowling into me. I slammed my paws hard on his chest and he tumbled away, winded. Leaping over, claws shining in the half-moonlight, I clawed his exposed belly and he let out a shriek of pain. He tossed me away, but I landed lightly on my paws and struck out of his face as he neared. He keeled over and I pinned him down, spitting in his face, "leave or die!" I stepped gingerly off him and the warrior tore away, up towards the moorland. I slipped over and realised I slipped on blood. That warrior's blood. I must've struck him really hard. Cats from both Clans were retreating, but I realised SunClan's warriors were coming back to the battle. I was suddenly bowled over by a slender cream and brown she-cat, whose eyes screamed fury. "Stay away!" I hissed at her, swiping her over onto her back and pinning her down. "No! You hurt Mudpelt!" I guessed the warrior I had struck out at before was Mudpelt. These two were family! "Well, your revenge will end up with your death!" I plunged my claws deep into her throat and the warrior convulsed, falling still as her eyes stared into nothingness. I stepped away from the body, horrified at what I had done. I had killed someone! I had broken the warrior code! I had shattered my already broken heart even more. "Rabbitbreeze!" I heard a gasp from someone behind me and I turned around, realising it was Sootfeather. "You-you killed her!" He stuttered, backing away slowly. I felt nothing as I hissed at my brother, "it was her time to die!" Sootfeather widened his eyes in disbelief. "Your not the Rabbitbreeze that I knew," he snarled at me. "Your a heartless monster!" I felt like calling out to my brother as he dashed over to help Deereye battle off a huge tom, but I held back. ''He doesn't understand! I have to do this! I have to kill! I barely remembered the Gateway and what I did remember of it I pushed it to the back of my mind. I could think of it later. Right now, I had to battle. I rushed over to help Newtstar, who was battling Foreststar. Dreamflower was huddled over in the corner on top of tallrock and as I helped Newtstar, I spat at her, "help us!" The medicine cat stayed where she was, herbs clamped firmly in her jaws. "Go Rabbitbreeze!" Newtstar growled at me, lunging at Foreststar. "This is a battle I must fight alone." I glared at him before leaping down from Tallrock and dashing over to help Silverdoe battle off Frostedrose, but before I could reach them, Frostedrose screeched, "BirdClan, retreat!" Warriors streamed away from the clearing towards the moorland, and Foreststar leaped down from Tallrock, running after them, her tail streaming out behind her and her head held high. I heard a screech come from Bubblepaw, who seemed to be drenched in blood from what I saw out of the corner of my eye. "Newtstar!" --------------------------- "Dear oh dear, he lost a life!" Quickpaw hissed to me as I crouched over the limp form of Newtstar, his flank barely rising and falling. Fury rose up in me at Foreststar, who had taken one of his remaining lives. "He only has his last life now," Dreamflower murmured to me and Quickpaw, and we gasped in horror. Many warriors had been injured in the battle; Hayfoot had been killed. Newtstar seemed to barely grasp onto his last life. I looked over my leader's shoulder and saw my apprentice, Bubblepaw, curled up, asleep in one of the nests. He had been severely hurt in the battle. I felt so sorry for him, as Newtstar was his father. I also missed him ever so slightly. I was so used to him being at my side everyday... I shook my head. "I'm going to go check on Deereye." The deputy had confined herself in the nursery with her second litter of kits every since seeing Newtstar weakened in the battle, only coming out of the den to use the dirtplace. Torchlight had been temporary deputy for a while now. I slipped out of the den and trotted quietly and quickly into the nursery, avoiding my Clanmates' judgemental gazes. Ever since Willowfoot had told the Clan I had killed a BirdClan warrior, only a few of my Clanmates remained my friends. Silverdoe had slowly drifted away from me and now she was constantly around another one of my previous friends, Antshade, who had avoided me for sometime now, becoming increasingly attracted to Silverdoe. It was disturbing to me to realize Antshade wouldn't be tailing me anymore. Pushing depressing thoughts away to the back of my mind and I said confidently, "hi Deereye." The deputy looked up at me, startled, huddling her two kits closer to her belly. "Oh, it's you." Deereye visibly relaxed and touched her muzzle lightly to my chin. "It's good to see you again." Me and the deputy were getting very close to each other; I was now visiting the nursery every single day. "How are you?" It was a stupid question, I knew that, but for some reason, I asked it. Deereye even gave me a look, but she responded, "same old, same old." I suddenly felt a cold rush that I had felt when I had first gotten home. I winced but Deereye didn't notice. "I have to go, uh... Quickpaw is calling over to him." The apprentice actually was and Deereye purred. "I'll see you later then." "Yep. See you later." Again, avoiding the gazes of my Clanmates, I bounded over to Quickpaw, my shoulder on fire. I had barely noticed the pain by now. "What is it?" I asked him. "Bubblepaw woke up and asked for you. He won't say anything to us, only you." I cocked my head but padded into the medicine cat den and crouched next to my apprentice's pretty much broken body. He would never be able to train again, I knew that without asking anyone. These types of injuries never healed. I gulped. Please don't die like Hayfoot did. I need you here with me, Bubblepaw. '' "Bubblepaw," I whispered into his ear and the apprentice looked at me, a smile spread on his face. "Thank you, Rabbitbreeze. I'll always be thankful for what you've done for me. It is my time, but I will always watch over you." I felt horror wash over my as the apprentice's head fell back and his dull eyes stared at nothing. "No!" I screamed, digging my muzzle into Bubblepaw's pelt. I had never realised I had cared for him this much. "No! Bubblepaw, stay with me!" Quickpaw dashed over to me and with Dreamflower's help, hauled me out of the den. Without realising, I clawed Dreamflower's flank, but her eyes still only showed pity and kindness. "Sis! It's okay, it's okay," Sootfeather rushed over to me and pressed against me, comforting me. I trembled, racked with grief and watched Dreamflower and Quickpaw bring Bubblepaw's limp body out of the den. "Murderer!" Willowfoot screeched, lashing her tail. "Rabbitbreeze was the last one with him! She killed him!" Sootfeather curled his lips at his mate, "she didn't murder him. Quickpaw was with her the whole time! He would have told Newtstar straight away." Willowfoot glared at Sootfeather. "I still believe she murdered him." I shook my pelt and bounded over to Bubblepaw's body, settling down next to him and burying my muzzle in his matted pelt. I felt a brush of fur next to me and saw out of the corner of my eye Bubblepaw's mother, Fernleap settled down next to me, her eyes closed and her breathing deeper than usual. Sootfeather soon joined us, but only two more cats gathered around the apprentice's broken body. Those two were Sleekpaw, Bubblepaw's sister and Bramblepelt, Bubblepaw's older brother from another litter. "Grief is such a bitter thing," Sleekpaw sighed, tears staining her cheeks as she stared at her littermate's limp form. "It rips you apart." I nodded my head. My heart had been shattered further and I stared coldly at Bubblepaw's body. ''This is prove love is a trap for the weak minded to fall into. Giving up love helped Badgerpelt, why won't it help me? I got to my paws. "Since both of our medicine cats have abandoned the scene, I shall lead our memorial tribute." I cleared my throat, leaving grief in a dark corner and began. "Bubblepaw was a truly wonderful apprentice, always eager to train and always helping those who need it." Murmurs of agreement flowed through the few gathered cats and Sleekpaw let out a low moan of grief. "He helped me realise I could still fight, even with my injuries," Bramblepelt rumbled, indicating his broken hind leg and his scarred eye. I raised my voice slightly. "We pray that Bubblepaw had swift running and good hunting with his ancient ancestors." I left the family alone and with Sootfeather we padded into the warrior den, settling in our nests. Chapter Five I sat near the BirdClan border, waiting for someone. My pelt burned with anticipation and I scored the ground with my claws for a third time. I was nervous, unsure whether or not this cat would help me. "You wanted to see me?" I drew in a deep breath. "Badgerpelt? Is that you?" "It is." My brother stepped out from the bushes behind me and I bristled. "Get back on your own side!" Badgerpelt leaped over my head and landed on BirdClan's land. "What is this about?" He said lightly. "I heard Foreststar is looking for someone who can spy on SunClan. I know the perfect cat." Badgerpelt laughed. "Who? You?" I snorted. "It's either gotta be me or the cat I was talking about before." "Who is that cat?" "You'll see." I lashed my tail on a twig and the twig snapped loudly. I had given the signal, now they just needed to reveal themselves. I chuckled. "I'll leave you two to discuss everything." I heard Badgerpelt's loud gasp and I tore away, not caring if my fur snagged on thorn bushes and bramble thickets. Soon, I burst into camp and many cats around me gasped, beginning to move away slowly. I glared at them, feeling no emotion, and I padded over to the fresh-kill pile, grabbing a fat squirrel and sitting in the middle of the clearing, not really realising all the eyes burning into my pelt. "Move it, crowfood." I looked up and met the determined and annoyed eyes of Willowfoot, who had a plump vole at her paws. "This is where me and Sootfeather are eating. Scram, now!" I ignored her, and stayed where I was. You will listen to me!" I felt claws rake my pelt and I slashed the silver she-cat's face viciously with both my front paws, claws unsheathed. Blood spattered the ground and Willowfoot shrieked. "She tried to kill me! Murderer!" I rolled my eyes. "Actually, I wasn't trying to kill you and I never would. But, you have to admit, you look '''a lot '''better now." Willowfoot screeched and tackled me and I kicked out with my hind legs, sending her flying across the clearing. "Just a little tip," I snarled, advancing on Willowfoot's shivering form. I leaned down to her ear and whispered, "Never try to hurt the best fighter in the Clans." I laughed and stalked away, head held high. If I was tormenting Willowfoot, I'd always enjoy myself. Feeling slightly happier I bounded over to a secluded corner, my squirrel in my jaws and I settled, beginning to eat. My shoulder was completely healed now and that made me feel better. "Can-can I j-join you?" Stuttered a quiet voice and I looked up, meeting Birchcloud's eyes and I chuckled. "Be my guest, but just to let you know, unless you want to end up like Willowfoot, don't ever challenge me. Got it?" Birchcloud settled beside me with a sigh of relief. "You know, I don't mind you anymore." I flinched. I was used to him hating me, but now he considered me something else. It didn't make sense to me, and I snorted. "What do you mean by the fact you don't mind me anymore?" I was curious to find out and I noticed Birchcloud turned red in the face. "I-I'll tell you when you need to hear it," he decided. I groaned inwardly. ''Why wait? Why wait to get it off your chest? ''I didn't understand his actions, not one bit, but then Morningpaw trotted over, her eyes duller than usual when she stared at me and Birchcloud. What was upsetting the little she-cat? TBC